What other roles could parents have? ~ Mabyn Grinde, Alberta
Willms and McKenna (1998) suggest that while Canada "might be lauded for its efforts to involve more parents in school decision-making, policymakers have paid less attention to other aspects of parental involvement [and that] this is a significant omission because parents can be involved in many ways, and other types of parental involvement may be more important" (p.379). Willms and McKenna (1998) suggest that school-parent involvement could include "parent support and education, volunteering activities, involvement in school-related learning activities at home, collaboration with the community, and the establishment of better communications and relations among students, parents and school staff" (p.380). I really like the idea of identifying ‘other’ ways of involving parents in our schools. In my experience, many parents are not willing to commit the time to being a formal member of a parent council group. Sometimes, I also find parents uncomfortable, or unsure of their ability to be a part of a formal parent council role. Part of this hesitation I suspect, is due to traditional power dynamics of admin/ teacher/ parent role in the classroom/ school. In my experience, schools with the most active, dedicated parent volunteers are not necessarily those schools with the largest parent council group. Perhaps part of educational management should be a focus on meaningfully involving and informing parents in multiple means, not just through parent councils.
Willms and McKenna (1998) suggest that while Canada "might be lauded for its efforts to involve more parents in school decision-making, policymakers have paid less attention to other aspects of parental involvement [and that] this is a significant omission because parents can be involved in many ways, and other types of parental involvement may be more important" (p.379). Willms and McKenna (1998) suggest that school-parent involvement could include "parent support and education, volunteering activities, involvement in school-related learning activities at home, collaboration with the community, and the establishment of better communications and relations among students, parents and school staff" (p.380). I really like the idea of identifying ‘other’ ways of involving parents in our schools. In my experience, many parents are not willing to commit the time to being a formal member of a parent council group. Sometimes, I also find parents uncomfortable, or unsure of their ability to be a part of a formal parent council role. Part of this hesitation I suspect, is due to traditional power dynamics of admin/ teacher/ parent role in the classroom/ school. In my experience, schools with the most active, dedicated parent volunteers are not necessarily those schools with the largest parent council group. Perhaps part of educational management should be a focus on meaningfully involving and informing parents in multiple means, not just through parent councils.
Reference:
McKenna, M. & Willms, J.D. (1998). The challenge facing parent councils in Canada. Childhood Education,74(6), 378 – 383. Retrieved from: http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA21078551&v=2.1&u=ucalgary&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w